Oscars 2012 List of Nominees and Cocktails

The 84th Academy Awards

Sun., Feb. 26, 2012

When is this year's 84th Academy Awards? Sunday, February 26, 2012 will be the evening for rolling out the ruby walkway. Hosting this year's event, thankfully, is Billy Crystal once again. Along with the gowns, glitz and glamour are other noteworthy items ... like nibblers and the smartest of cocktails.

If you are feverishly planning an Oscar party to ooh and aah over the red carpet celebrities and their wardrobe malfunctions, then you might want to review a few of these sassy cocktail recipes.  They were sent to me, and created especially for the gala by, Voli Light Vodka and Belvedere Vodka. I have posted the ones which I felt were most tempting for an award-worthy evening, along with a list of the nominees for the evening...enjoy!

Sweet Revenge

(inspired by "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo")\

2 oz Raspberry Cocoa

2 Raspberries

2 Blackberries

1 oz apple cider

1⁄4 oz maple syrup

Directions:

Muddle berries and maple syrup. Add all ingredients then shake and strain

Glass: Martini

Garnish: Raspberries

Crystal Cosmo

(an ode to this year's host Billy Crystal)

1 1⁄2 oz Voli Lyte

1 oz fresh lemon juice

2 oz Cranberry Juice

1⁄2 oz Agave Nectar Top with Prosecco (OPTIONAL)

Garnish: Lemon twist

Directions:

In a mixing tin, add ice, Voli Lyte, lemon juice, agave & shake.

Strain into a martini glass and top with Prosecco

The Artist

A surprisingly rich and delightful story about the end of the silent film era and the rise of the talkies, The Artist is a front-runner to win the Best Picture.

2oz Belvedere Black Raspberry 

1/4oz simple syrup 

1/2 oz Lemon juice 

6 fresh raspberries or 

1/2oz raspberry puree 

dash egg white 

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled 

martini glass top with a splash of soda and 

garnish with a raspberry.

THE NOMINEES

Best Picture

"The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer

"The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer

"The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers

"Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

"Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers

"Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers

"The Tree of Life" Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner and Grant Hill, Producers

"War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Directing

"The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius

"The Descendants" Alexander Payne

"Hugo" Martin Scorsese

"Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen

"The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"

George Clooney in "The Descendants"

Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"

Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"

Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"

Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"

Nick Nolte in "Warrior"

Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"

Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"

Viola Davis in "The Help"

Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"

Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"

Jessica Chastain in "The Help"

Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"

Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"

Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Animated Feature Film

"A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli

"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal

"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson

"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller

"Rango" Gore Verbinski

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGo and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in M magazine and the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.

Oscars 2010 FInal Update

The flutes are empty, the dresses rumpled and the after-parties have begun. I shall list the top seven categories and its winner.
This just wasn't the year for large blue people to win little golden men, I suppose. I am pleased at how many (every single one) of the seven categories ended exactly how I wanted them to end. It's so lovely when that happens. Next time, I should probably put a little wager on it. Is that legal?

**Best Supporting Actor-Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)
**Best Actor-Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
**Best Supporting Actress-Mo'Nique (Precious)
**Best Actress-Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
**Best Director-Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
**Best Picture-The Hurt Locker
**Best Animated Film-Up
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This post is exclusively written for Gottago.us.

Oscars 2010 Red Carpet Update

The pink bubbly is open once again, or still, and the Red Carpet Event is under way.
Mariah Carey's golden globes are showing up and out in her navy blue dress, complete with a slit, because she does enjoy showing, well, herself.
This year's look seems to be headed where I expected, strapless and elegant. No one has shown up looking as if they rummaged a yard sale before arriving, and blue and pink seems to be the colors this evening.
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This post is exlcusive for Gottago.us.

Inglorious Basterds

In movie theaters now is Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Well known as both a writer and a director, Tarantino makes this movie one of his finest. For those not in the know, he also gave us Pulp Fiction (1994), Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004), creating his own genre of comedy and gore. Would that be goromedy?

Always surprising us, QT’s choice for front man, Lt. Aldo Raine, is A-lister Brad Pitt, who reveled in his role as the leader of the American Jews sent to brutally kill 100 Nazis per team member. Not since Burn After Reading (2008) has he seemed to so thoroughly enjoy himself on the screen. Who else could bring laughter from the audience with various wisecracks, while practicing the fine art of forehead carving?

Tarantino’s genius, perhaps, lies in casting the perfect actor for each role, and then allowing each to do what he or she does best. He gives them permission to go over the top to become almost a caricature of the characters they are to portray.

And then they kill somebody. Violently.

Pitt’s portrayal as the Tennessean sent to kick Nazi butts was not the hit of the movie, though. Surprised? You’re not the only one.

Christoph Waltz as Colonel Hans Landa

There was a breakout star of the movie. How many actors can say that they stole a film from the king of Hollywood?

Christoph Waltz can. Turning in the No. 1 performance of the movie, Waltz portrays Colonel Hans Landa, the deliciously evil, and yet somehow, oddly charming, egomaniacal Nazi who hunts down Jews. Hailing from Vienna, Austria, Waltz is virtually still an unknown in America. But not for long.

Winning the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival this year for Basterds, Waltz appears to be a sure bet for the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Oscars. Not the typical SS officer, the eloquent Landa is crazy like a fox, with a self-indulgent attitude willing to do anything to catch what he terms repulsive rats. The opening scene sets the pace and tone of the movie, with Landa quietly and methodically coercing a French farmer into revealing exactly where he has stashed a Jewish family. Then has his men open fire, naturally; it’s his job.

Diane Kruger as Bridget von Hammersmark

The rest of the movie is a bit surprising here and there, dubbed as a fantasy-historical film. The plot basically is about the one family member who escaped, planning revenge and simultaneously, some espionage is worked in while a German hero falls for the escaped Jewish girl.

Confused?

They throw in subtitles, too. Not to worry, though; it actually runs smoothly.

Not addressed in the movie were the inhumane and vicious atrocities endured by the victims of the Nazis. Perhaps Tarantino credits his audience with the intelligence to remember those facts concerning WWII. Disregarding the final events of the war, as played out in history, the flick resembles a young boy’s fantasy of, “Wouldn’t it be nice if this is what really happened?”

Bottom Line: Plan on hearing about this movie, and Christoph Waltz, for a long time, and consider both already on the list of Golden Globe and Academy Award nominees.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, music, restaurant and performing arts critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC and follow her on Twitter @ejmusgrave1 and Facebook.
Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.